Discovering Dance On Film

Candide(es)

Atlantic Garden(pt)

The film is a narrative starting from the story of Pierre and Syl, a couple that experiences the conflict between possession and freedom in a troubled relationship. Pierre is insecure and jealous, while Syl can’t even imagine that spending time with her friends will affect her boyfriend’s emotions – and also her own in a tragic way. A musical in tribute to Brazil, the garden of the Atlantic Ocean.

Larceny with Music(en)

A former bootlegger is now the prosperous owner of a popular nightclub. A hustling promoter manages to pass off a young singer as the heir to a fortune and gets her booked at the club.

My Gal Loves Music(en)

A sister act finds itself stranded and broke, and teams up with a medicine man who is promoting a child talent contest.

Her Lucky Night(en)

In this romantic comedy, three man-hungry sisters consult a fortune-teller to help them with their romantic futures.

Take It Big(en)

Jack Haley plays Jack North, the nether end of a vaudeville horse act who inherits a western ranch. When he heads to the Great Outdoors to take possession, Jack winds up at the wrong place: a swanky dude ranch. He immediately begins running things, at it's quite a while before his error is discovered. By the time he shows up at his own ranch, he's up to his ears in unpaid debts-which naturally requires a fund-raising musical show as a bail-out. Harriet Hilliard handles the romantic portion of the proceedings, occasionally dueting with her real-life husband, bandleader Ozzie Nelson.

When Johnny Comes Marching Home(en)

By popular consensus, Allan Jones' best Universal mini-musical of the 1940s was the timely When Johnny Comes Marching Home. Jones is cast as war hero Johnny Kovacs, who wearies of the adulation heaped upon him and takes refuge under an assumed name in a theatrical boarding house. Here he befriends orchestra leader Phil Spitalny and his all-girl aggregation, including the inimitable Evelyn and Her Magic Violin. When Army officials trace Johnny to the boarding house, his new friends assume that he's a deserter and try to convince him to return to duty.

Hi, Buddy(en)

Dick Foran and Harriet Hilliard (aka Harriet Nelson) top the cast of the Universal musical quickie Hi, Buddy. Foran plays GI Dave O'Connor, who comes to the rescue when a boy's club is threatened with foreclosure. Upon learning that the money targetted for the club has been appropriated by a crooked manager, O'Connor calls upon his army buddies to stage a big, fundraising show.

Hi'ya, Sailor(en)

Bob Jackson and his three Merchant Marine shipmates have each invested $50 in a song Bob has written and which he thinks will be published for a fee of $200. In a taxicab driven by Pat Rogers, they search for the publisher's office but finally realize they have been swindled. Plus, they now owe Pat a large taxi-bill.

La Conga Nights(en)

In this comedy, actor Hugh Herbert plays six different roles. Only one of the roles is a man. The story centers around a dizzy music lover, who has grown rich through real estate deals. Also figuring in the story are a cab driver/performer, and a down-on-her-luck, aspiring singer. They meet when she hails his cab as she skips out on her former boarding house because she cannot pay rent.

Too Many Blondes(en)

The plot centers on a husband-wife radio team, Dick (Rudy Vallee) and Virginia (Helen Parrish). When Dick is caught in an innocent but compromising situation with brassy blonde showgirl Hortense (Iris Adrian), Virginia is encouraged to inaugurate divorce proceedings by her oily ex-beau Ted (Jerome Cowan). It all winds up in Mexico, with Dick ardently chasing Virginia until she catches him.

Sing Another Chorus(en)

In this musical, an idealistic college graduate is bitten by the show business bug after he finds success writing and producing the campus variety show. Wanting to launch his career, he convinces his father to allow him to create a production using the workers at the old man's clothing factory. Unfortunately, the young man is naive and an unscrupulous producer bilks his father's advance money from him.

Melody Lane(en)

In this musical, four entertaining farmboys from Iowa head for the Big Apple to find fame and fortune but find themselves in trouble when a radio sponsor finds himself accused of kidnapping a girl. Songs include: "Septimus Winner," "Peaceful Ends the Day," "Cherokee Charlie," "Let's Go to Calicabu," "Swing-a-Bye My Baby," "Changeable Heart," "If It's a Dream Don't Wake Me," "Since the Farmer in the Dell," "Caliacau," and "Listen to the Mockingbird."

Almost Married(en)

To avoid a costly breach of contract suit, a rich young man marries a nightclub singer.

Give Out, Sisters(en)

The Andrews Sisters headline this musical. They play the lead act at a popular nightclub. The trouble begins when they hire a few students from a financially foundering dance school for their newest production. One of the dancers, a rich young socialite, desperately wants to be in it too, but her prurient maiden aunts refuse to allow her to disgrace their family by becoming a common chorine. She and the club owner (who must have the aunt's permission because the girl is underage) try to convince them, but it's not easy.

Rhythm of the Islands(en)

Rhythm of the Islands is set in the South Seas, presumably far away from the shooting war. The nonsensical plotline finds hero Tommy (Allan Jones) posing as a native chief. Joan Holton (Jane Frazee), daughter of a millionaire (Ernest Truex), falls in love with Tommy, unaware that he's a charlatan.

She's for Me(en)

Two lawyers fall for their beautiful client.

Sing a Jingle(en)

In Sing a Jingle, Allan Jones plays popular radio crooner Roy King, who goes to work in a war plant after being declared 4F. He falls in love with Muriel Crane, the boss' daughter, who is at first unaware of the fact that King is the heartthrob of millions (he's gotten the job under an assumed name).

He's My Guy(en)

The former members of a vaudeville team meet up again in a defense plant during WW II.

Get Going(en)

Judy King, newly arrived in Washington, applies for a secretary job with a government agency and while being interviewed by Bob Carlton, an agent with the bureau, jokingly hints she may be a spy. While investigating her, he clears Judy and falls in love with her... and then uncovers a real Nazi spy ring.